it's a perfectly normal day
by Madderlingling
Summary: based on a post on tumblr. au: it's a perfectly normal day when castiel sees his new neighbors for the first time.


It's a perfectly normal day when Castiel sees his new neighbors for the first time. It's not like they just moved in; they'd lived across the street from him for almost three months. But Castiel's yet to have conversation with his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, and they've lived next to each other for 5 year.

He's outside, getting the mail, when he sees the youngest Winchester brother. He was kicking the soccer ball around the front yard of the dingy, two bedroom house. Not that Castiel could really say much; their yard even looked better than his. The boy was average in all his features, from his brown hair and brown and eyes, to build. He saw Castiel staring at him from across the street and waved. Castiel squinted his eyes and scrunched his eyebrows together, as he did when he was confused.

Cas saw the older brother not even a week later. It was 3 am and Cas panicked when he remembered tomorrow was trash day and he hadn't brought his trashcans to the curb. He was wrestling with trashcans when he saw a car pull up to the driveway across the street. Out of the car stepped, what Cas would consider to be, one of the most attractive people he'd ever seen. The man resembled his younger sibling but his features just… stood out more. From his cheekbones, to his eyes, to his shoulders, Castiel was enamored.

The man seemed to have the same idea as Cas and brought his trashcans down to the curb as well. He noticed Castiel, smiled and nodded, and went inside. It took Charlie a minute to realize he'd been standing outside in his underwear this whole time.

Castiel was running late as it was. His publisher was expecting him 5 minutes ago to meet with him about his book that's already a month past it's due date and still lacks a plot. The last thing he needed was for his car to spontaneously break down before he even got anywhere. But the universe was not in his favor today. The wind began to pick up and carried the loose papers from his disheveled folder with it. In pure frustration, he threw the rest of the papers in the air. Mrs. Nelson next door shot him a dirty look, but what did he care. He was about to accept the day as a failure and go back to bed, when he felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Um, are you alright?" It was one of the brother's from across the street; the younger one. Cas tilted his head, confused.

The boy looked a bit intimated now. "Well, I mean, I was sitting on my porch over there and uh, it looked like you were having car problems. My brother, Dean, is real good with cars and he should be home any minute now. Maybe he can help you."

Just then a black, '67 Impala pulled up and what sounded like the greatest hits of "mullet rock" playing in the background. The window rolled down, revealing the oldest Winchester brother.

"Hey, Sam. What's going on?" Dean looked to his brother and then to Cas.

"Castiel's car broke down and I was wondering if you'd help him fix it." Sam smiled to Cas. Castiel was surprised Sam had even known his name. It wasn't like he made an effort to be known to anyone around here.

"Sure! I'd be happy to help." Dean shot Cas a cheeky grin. "So what's wrong with it?"

"It won't start," he said, monotonously. Sure, he was grateful that someone was willing to help but he just didn't have the time for small talk today. He looked down at his watch. He was now seventeen minutes late. Anna was going to kill him. She made it clear that her time was something you didn't waste.

"Alright," Dean said. "Let me park my car, grab some tools, and I'll come over and look at it." Sam opened the passenger door and hopped in, riding a whole 20 feet in the car with Dean.

Cas leaned against his car and sighed. He should probably call Anna and just tell her he wasn't going to make it. But missing this appointment would probably push his book back another month, and that would be 2 months now that he wouldn't be getting a paycheck. Just before he was getting too lost in thought, Dean and Sam arrived, Dean now sporting a white t-shirt, jeans, and a toolbox.

He walked over to the front of the car, opened it up, and began to look around. Sam dumped out everything in the toolbox and sat on it. He began to organize the tools in front of him.

"So you put the keys in the ignition and it wouldn't start?" Dean asked.

"Precisely."

"Alright, well let's see what I can do."

Dean and Sam worked well as team. Dean would call out a tool and Sam would give it to him. As he was working, Dean would point things out and explain to Sam what he was doing. Sam was captivated by his brother. It was obvious he looked up to him. And Dean seemed to care for Sam just as much, if not more.

After about 15 minutes, Dean slammed down the hood of the car. "Try now."

Castiel got in his car, put the keys in the ignition, turned, and what do you know, the car started. Sam began to clap, wildly, and Dean bowed. Cas looked at the two and smiled.

"If you ever need any help with car, just stop by and ask," Dean told him.

"Thank you." Cas reached into his back packed and pulled out 40 dollars, handing it to Dean.

"What are you- put that away! Hey, I did this as a favor; you don't need to pay me."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Dean smiled and looked at Cas. Like, really looked at him. Cas had gone what felt like 3 years without being noticed; and now he was.

Castiel wasn't sure when he'd see the Winchester brothers again but he certainly didn't think it'd be the next day. He was dozing off in his recliner chair, laptop opened and on his lap, when he heard the doorbell ring. He immediately bounced straight up, nearly dropping his laptop in the process. He didn't remember ordering anything online recently, so who could possibly be at the door?

He looked through the peephole. It was Sam.

He opened the door and speaking a mile-a-minute, he walked right passed Cas and over to his living room. Cas closed the door and looked to Sam, confused.

"- and I keep telling Dean that internet is a necessity in a first world country. He insists we can't afford it but I think we could if he'd stopped spending money on beer and car magazines." Sam was now sitting on the couch, Castiel's laptop opened on his lap.

"What are you doing?" Cas asked.

"I told you! I need to get online to take this stupid quiz for school and we don't have Internet."

Cas was still a little shocked. He hadn't had anyone in his house in months. The last person was his brother, Gabe, and that ended in the misplacement of some of his furniture, a broken stove, and a really bad hangover. While Sam's visit most likely won't end the same way, he was still a little wary about the situation. He was very protective and even a bit territorial about his house. Having someone, who was practically a stranger, in his house left him a bit… on edge. But this was Sam and he and his brother did fix his car…

"Well I guess that's fine." His Internet history was a bit questionable but other than that, there really wasn't anything to hide. All that was on there were some photos and… all of his stories. "Wait, let me-"

"Oh! Is this a story you're writing?" Too late.

"Yeah, well I mean that's what a do for a living…"

"You're a writer! That's totally cool! What's your story about?"

Cas ran his hands through his messy black hair. "Beats me if I know."

"But you're really far into it looks like! Oh! Can I read it?"

And that's when Cas swooped in a snatched up his laptop, somehow managing to hide all of his documents in folders while Sam tried to wrestle him to the ground. _Try_ being the key word because Cas was double Sam's size.

"You can have it now."

"Hey! No fair! Why won't you let me read it?"

"Go buy a book."

"Sam?" a voice called from the front door. Dean walked right into the living room.

"Did I miss where it became socially acceptable to just walk into people's houses uninvited?"

Dean and Sam either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him.

"I've been looking everywhere for you! I had no idea where you were." Dean sounded near distraught.

"I left a note," said Sam. "Anyway, we wouldn't have this problem if you would just buy me the Internet."

"I can't _buy _you the internet. Besides, we don't have the money for that."

"But that's not fair-"

"Sam, listen to me-"

"I don't have a problem with Sam coming over. I mean, as long as he gives me a bit of warning beforehand." Both Sam and Dean turned to look at Castiel.

"Really?" Sam's eyes lit up and his grin widened.

"Are you sure? If you tell him he can come over, he'll never leave," Dean laughed.

"It's really no problem."

"Thanks, buddy." Dean touched Castiel's shoulder and smiled. "You're a great friend."  
_Friends_.  
_

Dean and Sam become his friends and sometimes, when he's had a few drinks, he'd even consider them family. Sam is the brightest kid in the entire 7th grade and Dean couldn't be more proud. Dean is the most hard-working man Castiel has ever met, working two jobs at the auto repair shop and the local bar. Cas admires both of them separately and together, the way they care for each other more than any other brothers he's seen before, because they're all each other has. He learns through a series of arguments and tears- that neither Dean nor Sam will ever admit to- that their mother died when they were young and their father was practically non-existent.

Sam is selfish and sometimes fails to see everything his brother does for him. Dean expects too much from people and gets upset when they don't meet his ridiculously high standards. But despite all their faults, Dean and Sam become his heroes.

And suddenly Castiel has an idea for his story.

By Christmas, Charlie has finished the first story he was ever proud of. It was about two brothers-cleverly named Derek and Sal- who do heroic things, like saving people, and hunting monsters. His publisher hated it, but he didn't care.

On a whim, he adds another character, Cal. He's writes himself in on the fourth book. It helped move the plot along, but in the end he decides to kill the character off.

But neither brother lets him stay away for long. If Castiel hides, they come and find him. If he tries to cut them out, they find a way to forgive him.

It's a perfectly normal day when Castiel comes home from work to find the older Winchester brother on his laptop. The first thing he's concerned about is not even how Dean got into his house, but how he left one of his stories up and how he wrote his own character, staring longingly at this man, wistful, but ever distant.

Dean looks up when he hears Castiel clear his throat. "So Derek… that's me, right?"

And Cas nods, ever so slightly. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"  
"For Cal."

Dean grins. "What are you talking about? Cal is my favorite character."


End file.
